Horley was not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In Saxon times, the Manor of Horley was under the control of the Benedictine abbey at Chertsey. With the dissolution of monasteries in 1539, the Manor passed to Henry VIII. In 1602, it came to be owned by the Christ's Hospital in London. Modern development was related to the arrival of the railway in 1841 and, of course, with the construction of Gatwick Airport in 1933.  To serve the passenger flow of Gatwick, Horley offers a range of  accommodation, from small family-run to four-star hotels.

Although Horley does not stand out with impressive architectural monuments, it has the pleasant atmosphere of a small English town. The rows of houses with well-tended gardens in the pedestrian area and the several lively churches will reward your walk around. St Bart's is a 14th-century parish church, the earliest in the area. It contains a fine brass of a lady from 1420, an interesting effigy of a knight in armour, a 13th-century limestone baptism font and some beautiful stained glass windows in the North Aisle.

Orderly green spaces and recreational areas are an indelible part of the small town's charm. Emlyn Meadows by the Burstow Stream is favoured for leisure and dog walking. The Michael Crescent Playground comprises a children's playground and a small football field. A23 Horley Recreation Ground included three tennis courts, a children's playground, a skate park, beautifully landscaped gardens, and a large grassed area for children to play and for adults to walk their dogs.

Several annual events are fun for locals and visitors alike. Horley in Bloom is a gardening festival that takes place in July. Businesses, hotels, restaurants, pubs and homes compete for gardening and landscaping prizes. A fair and other attractions in the pedestrian High Street can be enjoyed on the Summer Fun Day in August. The Round Table Raft Race is held on the river Mole. The teams build their own rafts to compete in the race. Each year, a Saturday in early November is earmarked for the Bonfire & Fireworks that enjoy enormous popularity. The Remembrance Parade and Service also take place in  November, on the Sunday nearest to November 11. The event commemorates the end of hostilities in World War I, and homage is paid to the soldiers who died in the wars. On that day, the Memorial Gardens in Horley are opened, and two minutes' silence is observed. Christmas is a time of many events in the town's pedestrian area.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables, plants, crafts as well as home-made cakes and preserves are sold in the charming Country Market which takes place on Friday mornings.